Extensible sectional sash assembly



y 1954 w. M. LEESER 3,131,440

EXTENSIBLE SECTIONAL SASH ASSEMBLY Filed July 14, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1I In "13 42 .L/ FL I 1 2 .4

INVENTOR. lam/mm BY WM 23 A), F g; 11 izz'zjr g May 5, 1964 w. M. LEESEREXTENSIBLE SECTIONAL SASH ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 14, 19617 [k INVENTOR. Zdm 22am BY M m JIM dirdiliif I I I I I f I I I I I l I II I I I If Mm i United States Patent 3,131,440 EXTENSBLE SECTIONAL SASHASSEMBLY Werner M. Leeser, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The SteeicraftManufacturing Company, Rossmoyne, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed July14, 1961, er. No. 124,232 2 Qiaims. (Cl. 20-56) This invention relatesto the glazed window openings of doors or the like and is directed inparticular to an extensible mullion or sash assembly for such openings,formed of metal sections which preferably are extruded.

One of the primary objectives of the invention has been to provide asectional mullion or sash assembly for mounting the glass panes, theassembly adapted to be mounted in the opening of a door, wall structureor the like in a rapid convenient manner with simple tools.

In order to provide convenient installation of the sash assembly, thestructure comprises individual sash bars or muntins which are hollow incross section, each having respective tenons or anchor bars slidablyconfined in its opposite end portions. The opening of the door, in whichthe sash assembly is to be installed, is delineated by a framing memberhaving mounting apertures adapted to receive the end portions of theextensible tenons, whereby the sash bar may be placed in positionspanning the opening and anchored in place simply by shifting the tenonsoutwardly through the mounting apertures. The anchor bars each include alocking screw engageable with the sash bar, the locking screws beingtightened with a screw driver, thereby to lock the tenon permanently inits extended position.

The present sash assembly is intended particularly for doors of sheetmetal construction, although, by virtue of the extensible tenons it maybe installed with equal facility in doors of other conventionalconstruction by providing mounting apertures in the framing structurewhich delineates the opening. Moreover, the sash assem bly may beinstalled in existing plain doors in a simple manner by cutting anopening therein and providng the necessary mounting apertures to receivethe extensible tenons. It will be understood that the sash bars may bemounted either horizontally or vertically, or they may be mounted as acombination of horizontal and vertical bars intersecting one another inaccordance with the size of the opening and number or pattern of glasspanes desired.

A further objective of the invention has been to provide a mullion orsash assembly which provides a neat and trim appearance and whichprovides for the convenient mounting of the glass panes or lights withinthe sash assembly.

According to this aspect of the invention, each muntin or sash bar is ofcomposite design, comprising a base rail and a cover or trim strip whichprovides a snap-on engagement with the base rail, and which acts as theretainer or glazing bead adapted to embrace the marginal portion of theglass pane. The base rail, as noted above, is hollow and comprises abody portion which is generally rectangular in cross section, having alongitudinal slot along one side which is delineated by a pair ofspaced, yieldable limbs arranged to provide the snap-on engagement withthe cove-r or trim strip. The body portion of the base rail forms a pairof shoulders on opposite sides of the yieldable limbs, the shouldersproviding glass stops when the glass panes are installed.

The extensible tenons are mounted between the yieldable limbs, whichinclude oppose-d ledges to confine the tenons between the limbs. Thelocking screw of each extensible tenon includes an enlarged headengageable with the anchor rail, and a shank passing outwardly throughthe tenon, the outer end portion being slotted for a screw driverengagement, so that the screw may be 3,131,440 Patented May 5, 1964tightened to frictionally engage the head with the base rail, thereby tolock the tenon in its extended position. The outer end portion of eachyieldable limb includes an outwardly projecting bead adapted to provideengagement with the trim strip. The yieldable limbs thus serve thedouble function of mounting the extensible tenons and of providing forthe snap-0n engagement of the trim strip. 7

The trim strip is also hollow in cross section and is generallyrectangular, including a longitudinal slot having a width substantaillyequal to the spacing of the yieldable limbs of the base rail. After theglass pane is placed in position against the glass stops which areprovided by the base rail (with the anchor tenons projecting through theaperture and locked'in place by the screws) the cover or trim strip isplaced with its slotted side against the outer edges of the yieldablelimbs and is then snapped in place over the beads by applying pressure.The rectangular configuration of the trim strip corresponds with thebody portion of the base rail and overlies the marginal portion of theglass pane, whereby the pane is embraced between the body portion of thebase rail and trim strip. The marginal edge portion of the pane, whichis thus engaged, is provided with a pliable mounting strip or calkingmaterial in the customary manner. It wfll be understood that theperipheral surface of the window opening is provided with a glass stopand glazing bead which form counterparts of the base rail and trim stripand lying in the same plane so as to embrace the outer marginal portionsof the glass panes.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the sectional sashassembly is flexible as to assembly and may be fitted in variouscombinations of horizontal and vertical.

sash bars to provide a glazed opening of the desired pattern. Where thevertical sash bars intersect the horizontal bars, mounting apertures areformed in the yieldable limbs of the horizontal base rails to receivethe extensible tenons of the vertical bars. In the event of glassbreakage after the door is in use, a new pane may be installedconveniently by prying off the trim strips, replacing the broken pane,then forcing the trim strips back in place.

The various objects of the invention will be fully apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following detailed description inconjunction with the drawings.

In the drawings: K

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation showing the sectional mullion or sashassembly installed in the opening of a door.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2*2of FIGURE 1 detailing the sash assembly.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1, detailingthe tenon or anchor bar which is shown in looking position with respectto the sash structure.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of FIGURE 1, detailingthe sash assembly in relation to the glass panes of the glazed window.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1, detailingthe anchorage of the vertical sash bars with respect to the horizontalbar.

FIGURE 6 is an exploded view illustrating the components of the sashstructure.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, showing the mode ofinstalling one of the muntins or sash bars in the window opening.

Door Structure which is installed in the opening of a wall 5. The door,which has been selected to illustrate the principles of the invention,is of conventional hollow steel construction, comprising sheet metalface panels 6-6 (FIGURE 2) spaced apart from one another by a honeycombstructure (not shown), the window opening 2 being delineated by aclosure strip 7 which is joined to the face panels 6-6. The outerperiphery of the door is delineated by a similar closure strip (notshown), and the door lock is mounted between the face panels andincludes the usual knob 8. It will be understood that the mullion orsash assembly, indicated generally at 10 in FIGURE 1, is intended forinstallation in doors of various types which are originally constructedwith a window opening. The structure is also intended to convert plaindoors into the window type simply by cutting a window opening therein,with suitable mounting apertures formed in the margin of the opening foranchoring the mullion structure, as explained later.

The mullion or sash structure, selected to illustrate the invention, isprovided with a horizontal muntin or sash bar 11 and a vertical sash bar12 to provide a mounting for four panes of glass, as indicated at 13(FIGURE 1). It will be understood, that the sectional sash structure isflexible as to assembly and may comprise either a single horizontal orvertical sash bar to mount two panes of glass, or it may comprisecombinations of horizontal and vertical sash bars, other than thatillustrated, so as to provide various other arrangements of glasslights.

As shown generally in FIGURE 2, the vertical sides of the door openingare each provided with a glass stop 14 formed of sheet metal and beinggenerally channel-shaped in cross section. The stop 14 includes amounting strip 15 along one side which is secured in place by screws 16passing through the mounting strip and threaded into the marginalportion of the door. As shown in FIGURE 2, the glass stop 14 embracesthe outer marginal portion of the pane 13, while the sash bars 11 and 12provide a corresponding glass stop, as explained later.

During installation, the glass stops 14 are first mounted within theopening, then the base rails of the mullion structure are installed soas to form corresponding glass stops for engaging the marginal portionsof the glass panes 13. The glass panes are then installed against theglass stops, the edges of the panes being embedded in flexible strips,such as rubber or protected by suitable calking, such as putty,indicated at 17. Finally, glazing beads 18 are mounted in the oppositeside of the opening (FIG- URE 2) and secured in place by screws 19. Theclosure strips of the mullion structure correspond to the glazing beadsand are installed with the glazing beads to complete the assembly, asexplained later.

In the present example (FIGURE 4), the upper closure strip 7 of thewindow opening is slotted as at 20 to accommodate the upper edge of thepanes 13. When installing the panes, their upper portions are firstinserted through the slot 20, then the pane is placed in positionagainst the glass stops and sash rails. The lower closure strip of theopening is similarly slotted (not shown) to receive the lower portion ofthe panes.

Mullion or Sash Structure Described in detail (FIGURES 2-6) each muntinor sash bar is a composite unit comprising a base rail 21 and a cover ortrim strip 22 which is snapped in place over one side of the base railafter the glass panes 13 are installed in the sash assembly. Thecomposite horizontal sash bars 11 and vertical sash bars 12 areidentical in cross section and are preferably in the form of extrudedaluminum sections.

Each base rail 21 comprises a body portion 23, which is generallyrectangular in cross section and having a longitudinal slot 24 along oneside, which provides access to the anchor bars, as explained later. Apair or yieldable parallel limbs 25-25 project outwardly from the body23 of the base rail along opposite sides of the slot 24. The outer endsof the yieldable limbs each include a right angular inturned flange 26,and the base of the limbs include ledges 2727 which border thelongitudinal slot 24. The limbs 25 delineate a passageway generallyrectangular in cross section arranged to slidably confine the extensibleanchor bars or tenons 28 in the opposite end portions of the base rails;the limbs also provide an attachment means for the trim strip, asexplained below.

In order to provide a snap-on engagement with the cover or trim strip22, the flanges 26 of the yieldable limbs 25 are each provided with anoutwardly projecting lip 30 parallel with the limbs 25, and the lipsinclude opposed, outwardly facing beads 31 which present partiallycylindrical profiles. These beads, through the yieldability of theopposed limbs 25, adapt the cover strip 22 to be snapped in place uponthe base rail at assembly.

Each cover strip 22 is also generally rectangular in cross section andincludes a longitudinal slot 32 (FIGURE 6) having a width substantiallyequal to the spacing of the lips 36 of the base rail so as to fit overthe lips 30 and provide a camming action with respect to the curvedsurfaces of the beads 31 when the trim strip is forced in place. Opposedportions of the trim strip, adjacent the slot 32, are inset at 33, so asto interfit the shoulders or flanges 26 of the base rail, as best shownin FIGURES 2 and 6.

The anchor bars or tenons 28, (FIGURE 2) are each provided with alocking screw 34 passing through slot 24 and having a head 35 whichresides within the hollow body 23 of the base rail 21, the head beingadapted to seat against and frictionally engage the ledges 27 of thebase rail on opposite sides of slot 24. The opposite shank portion 36 ofthe screw projects through the anchor bar and resides between the lips3ll36 of the base rail. The screw 34 may be conventional; however, theouter end of the shank 36 is provided with a slot 37 for engagement witha screw driver 39 (FIGURE '7), permitting the screw to be rotated to alocking position before the trim strip is applied to the base rail.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 6, a mortise or mounting aperture 38, toreceive the end portion of the tenon or anchor bar, is formed in theclosure strip 7 and mounting strip 15 of the door structure at oppositesides of the opening 2. The horizontal sash bar 11 is thus anchored atopposite ends by the shiftable tenons or bars 28, which extend outwardlythrough the apertures 38. The ends of the vertical sash bars 12 aresimilarly anchored by extensible anchor bars 28 which pass through theslot 29 which is formed in the closure strips 7 at upper and lowermargins of the window opening, which also receive the edge portions ofthe Window panes, as explained earlier.

In the form of the invention illustrated, the adjacent inner ends of thevertical sash bars 12, which abut the horizontal bar 11, are anchored inplace by a tenon or bar 28 passing through an aperture 40 which isformed in the horizontal sash bar 11 (FIGURE 5). In this example, thetenon 28 of the lower vertical sash bar 12 passes upwardly through theaperture 40 into the upper vertical sash bar 12 so as to lock both barsin place. Alternatively, however, each vertical bar may include its ownanchor bar or tenon 28, two tenons passing through the aperture of thehorizontal sash bar 11 and into endwise abutment with one another.

When the mullion or sash assembly is installed, the glass stops 14 arefirst mounted in the door opening and secured into place by the screws16. Thereafter, the base rail 21 of the horizontal sash bar 11 is fittedbetween the assembled glass stops 14-44 with the trim strip 22 removed(FIGURE 7), the anchor bars 28 being retracted to permit theinstallation. With the base rail thus located in alignment with themounting apertures 38, the anchor bars 28 are shifted outwardly (FIGURE3) so as to pass through the mounting apertures at opposite sides of theopening 2. Thereafter the screw driver 39 is engaged in the slot 37 andthe locking screws 34 are rotated in a direction to bring the head 35into engagement with the ledges 27, thereby to lock the anchor bars inplace. The base rails 21 of the vertical sash bars 12 are similarlymounted on opposite sides of the horizontal bar 11 and locked in place.

It will be noted in FIGURE 4 that the glass-engaging surface 41 of thebase rail 21 lies in the same plane as the corresponding surface 42 ofthe glass stop 14, adapting the panes to be mounted within the sashassembly at this stage. After the glass panes are placed in position,either with the flexible strips or with calking, as previously indicatedat 17, the trim or cover strips 22 are snapped in place under theopposed beads of the lips 30. As the trim strips are forced in place,its edges produce a camming action with respect to the beads 31 causingthe limbs 25 to be sprung toward one another then to snap outwardiy tothe position shown in FIGURE 4, thus locking the trim strip 22 firmly inplace. To facilitate this camming action, the edges {FIGURE 6) whichdelineate the slot 32 of the trim strip, are rounded as at 43. Theclosure strip thus conceals the anchor bars 28 and their locking screws34, providing a neat and trim appearance, and also locking the glasspanes 13 in place. The glazing beads 18 are also secured in place atthis time, thus completing the installation of the glazed window. Itwill be understood that the trim strips 22 can be pried off the baserails to replace a broken light of glass if this ever becomes necessary.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A sectional sash structure adapted to be installed in an opening of adoor or the like to provide a mounting for a glazed window therein, saidopening being delineated by a framing member including mountingapertures, said sash structure comprising, a sash bar adapted to beinstalled in a position spanning said opening, said sash bar being ofhollow cross section, a pair of tenons slidably mounted in the endportions of said hollow sash bar, a locking screw threaded through eachof said tenons, said sash bar being slotted longitudinally, each lockingscrew having a shank portion projecting outwardly through said slot andhaving a head portion residing within the hollow sash bar and adapted toengage the sash bar on opposite sides of said slot, each locking screwhaving tool-engaging means on the shank portion opposite the headportion providing engagement with a tool for tightening the screw, saidtool-engaging means being presented outwardly C) through said slot,whereby a tool is adapted to be engaged with said tool-engaging meansfor tightening the screw, thereby to secure the tenon in an adjustedposition relative to the sash bar, said sash bar being installed withinsaid opening in alignment with the apertures of said framing member andwith said tenons shifted outwardly through said apertures and lockedrelative to the sash bar by said locking screws, thereby anchoring thesash bar in place within said opening.

2. A composite sash bar for a sectional sash structure adapted to beinstalled in the opening of a door or the like to provide a mounting fora glazed window therein, said opening being delineated by a framingelement including mounting apertures, said composite sash barcomprising, a base rail and a cover strip, said base rail being hollowin cross section and including an internal and an external longitudinalslot, said base rail including a pair of parallel limbs projectingoutwardly along opposite sides of said external slot, a respectiveanchor bar slidably mounted within the endwise portions of said baserail, each of said anchor bars including a locking screw, each lockingscrew having a head portion disposed within the hollow base rail andengagea'ole therewith on opposite sides of said internal slot, said headportion adapted to lock the anchor bar relative to the base rail, eachlocking screw having a shank portion projecting outwardly through saidexternal slot, said shank portion including means for engagement with atool for rotating the screw, said base rail adapted to be installed in aposition spanning said opening in alignment with said apertures of theframing element, said anchorage bars adapted to be shifted outwardlythrough said apertures to anchor the base rail within said opening,

said cover strip being tubular in cross section and including alongitudinal slot, said slot adapting the cover strip to be snapped inplace upon the limbs of the base rail after the base rail is anchored inplace within said opening thereby to cover the external slot of the baserail after the locking screws are tightened to secure the anchor bars insaid outwardly shifted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,240,193 Fromhold Sept. 18, 1917 2,627,632 Kelly Feb. 10, 19532,747,705 Bagnard May 29, 1956 2,816,632 Nordulli Dec. 17, 1957

1. A SECTIONAL SASH STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO BE INSTALLED IN AN OPENING OF ADOOR OR THE LIKE TO PROVIDE A MOUNTING FOR A GLAZED WINDOW THEREIN, SAIDOPENING BEING DELINEATED BY A FRAMING MEMBER INCLUDING MOUNTINGAPERTURES, SAID SASH STRUCTURE COMPRISING, A SASH BAR ADAPTED TO BE INSTALLED IN A POSITION SPANNING SAID OPENING, SAID SASH BAR BEING OFHOLLOW CROSS SECTION, A PAIR OF TENONS SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN THE ENDPORTIONS OF SAID HOLLOW SASH BAR, A LOCKING SCREW THREADED THROUGH EACHOF SAID TENONS, SAID SASH BAR BEING SLOTTED LONGITUDINALLY, EACH LOCKINGSCREW HAVING A SHANK PORTION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID SLOT ANDHAVING A HEAD PORTION RESIDING WITHIN THE HOLLOW SASH BAR AND ADAPTED TOENGAGE THE SASH BAR ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SLOT, EACH LOCKING SCREWHAVING TOOL-ENGAGING MEANS ON THE SHANK PORTION OPPOSITE THE HEADPORTION PROVIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH A TOOL FOR TIGHTENING THE SCREW, SAIDTOOL-ENGAGING MEANS BEING PRESENTED OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID SLOT, WHEREBYA TOOL IS ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED WITH SAID TOOL-ENGAGING MEANS FORTIGHTENING THE SCREW, THEREBY TO SECURE THE TENON IN AN ADJUSTEDPOSITION RELATIVE TO THE SASH BAR, SAID SASH BAR BEING INSTALLED WITHINSAID OPENING IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE APERTURES OF SAID FRAMING MEMBER ANDWITH SAID TENONS SHIFTED OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID APERTURES AND LOCKEDRELATIVE TO THE SASH BAR BY SAID LOCKING SCREWS, THEREBY ANCHORING THESASH BAR IN PLACE WITHIN SAID OPENING.